Collage of 5 portraits: Shannon Smith-Bernardin, Catherine Gilliss, Nikia Grayson, Brittany Christiansen, Orlando Harris.

Leadership in Action: Alumni, Faculty, Staff, and Student Milestones

Nursing Leaders
Aug. 5, 2026
By School of Nursing Office of Communications

Faculty, staff, students, and alumni of the UCSF School of Nursing are leading innovative projects to advance health and health care worldwide. 

8 To Join 2026 AAN Class of Fellows 

Eight members of the school community will be inducted into the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) 2026 Class of Fellows, a recognition that honors nurses for substantial, sustained, and outstanding impact on health and health care. Faculty members in the cohort include Gillian Adynski, PhD, MHS, RN, volunteer faculty member; Nikia Grayson, DNP, CNM, FACNM, associate professor; Rebecca Silvers, DNP, APN, CPNP-AC, founding director of the Center for Global Nursing and volunteer faculty member; and Shannon Smith-Bernardin, PhD, RN, CNL, associate professor. UCSF School of Nursing alumni included in the fellowship class are Nai-Ching Chi, PhD, MS '12, RN; Kimberly Pyke-Grimm, PhD '18, RN, CNS; Yeonsu Song, PhD '09, RN, FNP-C; and Vivian Wong, PhD '05, RN, CNS. Learn more about the inductees. 

Collage of 8 portrait photos in two-by-four grid.
Pictured clockwise from top left: Gillian Adynski, Nai-Ching Chi, Nikia Grayson, Kimberly Pyke-Grimm, Rebecca Silvers, Shannon Smith-Bernardin, Yeonsu Song, and Vivian Wong. 

 

Brittany Christiansen.
Brittany Christiansen, PhD, DNP, PNP

Brittany Christiansen Named AFPNP President

Brittany Christiansen, PhD, DNP, PNP, associate professor, has been named president of the Association of Faculties of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (AFPNP) Board of Directors. AFPNP is a national organization committed to advancing excellence in education, research, practice, and advocacy for pediatric nurse practitioners. 

Catherine Gilliss Receives Duke Lifetime Achievement Award 

Catherine Gilliss, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor emeritus, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Duke University School of Nursing in recognition of her extraordinary accomplishments in the field of nursing leadership, education, research, and practice. Gilliss was honored with the award at a celebration during Duke University's 2026 alumni reunion. 

Catherine Gilliss
Catherine Gilliss, PhD, RN, FAAN
Sandra Weiss.
Sandra Weiss, PhD, RN, FAAN

Sandra Weiss Equips Congressional Ambassadors

Sandra Weiss, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor, recently partnered with the Friends of the National Institute for Nursing Research, an independent nonprofit that strengthens and amplifies the impact of nursing research through advocacy, to train congressional ambassadors. Discussion topics including the National Institute for Nursing Research's research priorities and funding mechanisms, and strategies for establishing relationships with legislators. 

Erin McCauley's Publication Honored by American Sociological Association

“The Leniency of Low Expectations: Parental Incarceration, Race, and Teachers’ Evaluations of Student Writing,” by Erin McCauley, PhD, MEd, MA, assistant professor, received two honorable mentions from the American Sociological Association: one by the Devah Pater Outstanding Article Award from the Inequality, Poverty, and Mobility section, and another by the James F. Short Distinguished Article, Crime, Law, and Deviance section. 

Erin McCauley.
Erin McCauley, PhD, MEd, MA
Orlando Harris.
Orlando Harris, PhD, MPH, FAAN

Orlando Harris Highlight by American Nurses Association

Orlando Harris, PhD, MPH, FAAN, associate professor, was recently featured by the American Nurses Association (ANA) as part of The Power of Nurses, a national campaign that celebrates nurses for their expertise and impact. The profile highlights his research exploring the social and cultural factors that drive health outcomes prior to seeking care and notes his recent Excellence in Health Equity and Justice Award from the ANA's California chapter. 

Faculty Share Expertise at National, International Events 

  • Glenda Baguso, PhD, MPH, RN, assistant professor, presented at Continuum 2026, hosted by the International Providers of AIDS Care, June 22, in Puerto Rico. Her presentation was titled "Intent to Change Substance Use Behavior Among Transgender Women Living with HIV: Psychosocial Correlates and Care Engagement." 
  • Karen Barrett, PhD, assistant professor, participated on a keynote panel at the American Cochlear Implant Alliance Conference, May 6-9, in Chicago, Illinois. The topic of the panel was "Beyond the Device: Supporting Music Perception, Rehabilitation, and Enjoyment in Cochlear Implant Users." Barrett also presented a poster at the Society for Neuroscience of Creativity Conference, June 1-3, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, titled "Evidence for Cortical Cross-Modal Plasticity: An fMRI Investigation.” Additionally, Barrett participated in the USC Science of Music and Learning Symposium: Health, Education, and Policy, June 11, in Los Angeles. Her presentation was titled "Neural Mechanisms of Musical Improvisation Across the Lifespan: Leveraging Creativity for Health." 
  • Kimberly Jinnett, PhD, professor, co-chaired the American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) Northern California Chapter Pacific Coast Conference, May 15, in Santa Clara. AMWA seeks to promote excellence in medical communication and to provide educational resources towards that goal.
  • Angel Kuo, EdD, MS, PNP, professor, joined Caroline Hwang, MS, RN, FNP, alum, to share their expertise at the HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce Division of Nursing and Public Health's 80th Anniversary event, May 14. Their presentation was titled "Advanced Nursing Education Workforce Program (ANEW)."
  • Soo-Jeong Lee, PhD, RN, FAAOHN, professor, was recently invited by Korea’s Chungbuk Nurses Association, Chungbuk National University, and Chungbuk Regional Innovation System and Education Center to give a virtual presentation during the Symposium on the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Nurses. Lee's talk was titled "Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Nurses: Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Prevention."
  • Cherry Leung, PhD, RN, associate professor, presented at the Seoul National University Research Institute of Nursing Science on May 6, in Seoul, Korea. Her seminar, "Microbes, Mood, and Adolescence: The Gut-Brain Axis and Emerging Research on Depression," emphasized the growing importance of interdisciplinary research examining biologic pathways relevant to adolescent mental health.
  • Nancy Oliva, PhD, MHA, MPA, affiliate faculty member, shared a poster at the California Academic Geriatrics Institutions Conference, May 29, in Palo Alto. Her poster was titled "Targeted Data Use is Essential in Disaster Preparedness and Evacuation Planning for Older Adults with Access and Functional Needs."
  • Andrew Penn, MS, PMHNP, professor, recently presented two talks at Psych Congress Elevate, June 3-6, in Las Vegas, Nevada, titled “Psychotherapy Meets Pharmacology: Enhancing Collaboration, Connection, and Compassion for Better Outcomes” and “Reframing the Future in GAD: Improving Current Practices and Evaluating Novel Approaches." Penn also gave the virtual presentation "Psychedelic Therapy and Nursing: A Caritas Informed Approach," on June 10, as part of the Watson Caring Science Institute. Additionally, Penn recently presented "Molecules to Meaning: Mapping the Psychedelic Paradigm Shifts Across Disciplines" at the University of Psychedelics Education Program hosted by the Usona Institute in Madison, Wisconsin.
  • Mike Taigman, MS, associate professor, presented "Healthcare Improvement Science in Action" for Cascade Medical Center on April 6, in Leavenworth, Washington. He also co-presented "Just in Time Leadership Dialogue" at the ImageTrend Connect Conference on April 13, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
  • Sandra Weiss, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor, was an invited speaker at the 2026 American Psychiatric Association's Annual Meeting, May 16-20, in San Francisco. Her presentation addressed gender differences in symptom profiles of individuals with mood disorders.
  • Jarmin Yeh, PhD, MPH, MSSW, associate professor, shared her expertise at the British Society of Gerontology 55th Annual Conference, June 24-26, at Oxford College. Her presentations were titled "Drawing Care into View: Graphic Stories to Translate Dementia and Emergency Disaster Readiness Caregiving Research" and "Informing Caregiver Training Through the Lived Experiences of Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Older Adults Living with HIV."
  • Faculty shared their expertise and engaged with international nursing colleagues at the Leadership for Global Health: Advancing Nursing and Health Care Systems Conference, June 8-9, in Thailand. Afaf Meleis, PhD, DrPS(hon), FAAN, professor emeritus, presented the keynote "Leading with Wisdom: Active Aging as the World Treasure." Marianne Biangone, PhD, RN, FAAN, interim associate dean for education and professor; Jyu-Lin Chen, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor and chair; and Carolyn Harris, PhD, RN, OCN, assistant professor, also represented the school.
  • Faculty engaged with the global dementia research community at the 2026 Alzheimer's Association International Conference, July 18-21, in London, England. Representatives included Van Park, PhD, MPH, professor; Elena Portacolone, PhD, MBA, MPH, professor; Laura Wagner, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor; and Jarmin Yeh, PhD, MPH, MSSW, associate professor.

Celebrating Preceptors

The Helen Martin Award for Excellence in Clinical Precepting is presented annually to honor preceptors for the valuable role they play in developing students' clinical skills. The award is given in memory of Helen Martin, MS, RN, FNP, who was an assistant professor at the School of Nursing and clinical director of the UCSF-supported Valencia Health Services. 

The 2026 awardee is Grace Lee, MS, FNP-C. 

The Rosalie Bravo AG ACNP Preceptor Award honors preceptors whose dedication and mentorship have made a lasting impact on the education and development of future Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners. 

The 2026 awardee is Lory Anne Robles, MS, NP.  

Read more on the Preceptor Portal. 

Two women standing outside on a terrace.
Pictured: Grace Lee with Carol Dawson-Rose at the Preceptor and Volunteer Faculty Network Reception on July 22.

 

Community Members Capture New Funding 

  • Ifeyinwa Asiodu, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor, received a University of California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program award for the project “Examining the Impact of Perinatal Tobacco-Use on Breastfeeding.” The award is $674,633.
  • Calvin Chiu, PhD, assistant professor, received a Chr. Michelsen Institute grant for the project "CoM-Financing: In Search of Sustainability: Community Financing Mechanisms to Accelerate Reductions in Maternal and Newborn Mortality.” The award is $65,758.
  • Carolyn Harris, PhD, RN, OCN, assistant professor, received a UCSF Clinical & Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Pilot Award for Early Career Investigators for the project “Elucidation of the Molecular Mechanisms of Symptom Burden in Patients With Cancer: A Multi-Staged Data-Integrated Multi-Omics Analysis.” The award is $40,000.
  • Jennifer Jain, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, received a UCSF-Gladstone Institute of Virology & Immunology Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) Mentored Scientist Award for the project "Quantifying Cumulative Drug Concentrations in Hair Among Women Living With HIV Who Use Drugs in the San Francisco Bay Area.” The award is $50,000.
  • Jennifer James, PhD, MS, MSW, associate professor, received an R01 award from the NIH National Institute of Nursing Research for the project "CARE: Community Action Research for Equity – Understanding Care and Decision Making for Incarcerated Patients.” The award is $758,207. James also received a $50,000 UCSF grant supported by the Mount Zion Health Fund for the project “Linking Culture, Structure, and Care: Navigating Biomedical and Integrative Perinatal Care Among Asian Americans.”
  • Kristen Kirksey, PhD, MPH, project policy analyst, received a UCSF CAPS Research Award for the innovative pilot study “Doula PrEP Connect: Piloting a Community-Based Strategy to Expand HIV Prevention for Black Women in Mississippi.” The award is $50,000.
  • Amy Law, PhD, MS, CNM, assistant professor, received a California Department of Health Care Access and Information grant to support the project "Song-Brown Certified Nurse Midwifery Training Program Grant.” The award is $65,000.
  • Tracy Lin, PhD, MSc, associate professor, received an NIH R03 award for the project "Exposure to Violence and Food and Mental Health Security in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.” The amount is $164,000.
  • Jenny Liu, PhD, MA, MPP, professor and director, received a grant from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Tanzania through the UCSF Resource Allocation Program. The award is $3,989.
  • Katerina Melino, PhD, RN, PMHNP-BC, associate professor, received a Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation award for the project “An Interprofessional Clinical Program to Address Social Determinants of Health in Geriatric Mental Health.” The award is $250,000.
  • Julie Poepoe, DNP, FNP, associate professor, received a California Department of Health Care Access and Information grant to support the project “Song-Brown Certified Nurse Practitioner/Physician’s Assistant Training Program Grant.” The award is $182,000.
  • Elena Portacolone, PhD, MBA, MPH, professor, received a grant from the UCSF Pancreas Center for the project “Bridging Research and Policy to Support Older Adults Living Alone With Pancreatic Cancer.” The award is $50,000.
  • Lila Sheira, PhD, MPH, assistant professor, received a UCSF Academic Senate and Institute for Global Health Sciences grant for the project “Building a Full-Spectrum Sexual Health Service Model: Feasibility of Pharmacy-Based STI Testing for Ugandan Adolescent Girls and Young Women.” The award is $50,000.
  • Lauren Suchman, PhD, assistant professor, and Karen Barrett, PhD, assistant professor, are co-investigators on a UCSF-Bay Area Center for AIDS Research Mentored Scientist Award for the project “Treating Menopause Matters: Investigating Music Therapy as a Tool Using Implementation Science Methods for Menopause Symptom Management Among Women Living With HIV in San Francisco.” The award is $50,000.
  • Margaret Wallhagen, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor, received a Gerontological Advanced Practice Nurses Association award for the project “Pilot to Develop Hearing Loss Simulation Vignettes to Promote Practitioners Understanding and Empathy of the Experience of Hearing Loss.” The award is $5,000.

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